This invention relates to match number gaming methods and apparatus, and more particularly to a match number game that may be played by a plurality of players simultaneously or that may be played by an individual player.
Various types of match number games have been employed for casino use, such as the well-known games of bingo and keno. In recent years, such match number games have been implemented with electronic player stations such as video terminals. The terminals may be networked and the system configured for including a plurality of players in a single game, or the terminal may be configured for play by a single person.
The gaming system of the present invention, which is similar to keno or bingo but with significant departures therefrom for enhanced excitement, is particularly adaptable for casino play and is preferably electronically implemented as with video terminals, although it may be played without the use of such terminals.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of playing a game by a player comprising the steps of:
(a) the player placing a wager (preferably to a game pool in addition to placing a wager to a progressive pool);
(b) assigning to the player a first plurality of designations (preferably numbers) from a set of designations (preferably numbers);
(c) randomly drawing a first plurality of designations from such set;
(d) paying a prize (preferably from the progressive pool) to the player if the player""s assigned first plurality of designations match the first plurality of designations drawn in step (c);
(e) if the player""s assigned first plurality of designations do not match the first plurality of designations drawn in step (c), continue randomly drawing designations from such set until the player""s assigned first plurality of designations match designations drawn in steps (c) and (e), or until a second plurality of designations fewer than all designations in such set are drawn from such set, whichever occurs first; and
(f) paying a prize (preferably from the game pool) to the player if the player""s assigned first plurality of designations match designations drawn in steps (c) and (e).
In step (b), the player preferably selects the first plurality of designations to be assigned to him from the set of designations. In step (d), a further prize may be paid from the progressive pool if a third plurality of the assigned designations match designations drawn from the set, the third plurality being less than the first plurality. In step (f), the amount of the prize is related to the quantity of designations drawn for matching the player""s first plurality of designations.
In a preferred aspect of the game, the method includes a wild designation for being randomly drawn as if a designation or number in the set, and when the wild designation is drawn the player may deem one of his assigned designations or numbers to have been drawn.
The placing of a wager to the progressive pool in step (c) may be optional to the player; if the player elects not to place a progressive pool wager, a prize from the progressive pool would not be paid in step (d) but a prize may instead be paid from the game pool.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention include a progressive pool from which certain prizes are paid, and a game pool from which certain other prizes are paid. In the progressive pool, player stations are generally linked to receive progressive wagers from the various player stations into a common pool and unwon prize amounts in each game are carried over to the next game. Gaming systems with progressive pools are well known and prizes paid from such progressive pools are often referred to as xe2x80x9cprogressive jackpotsxe2x80x9d. Progressive jackpots and systems are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,016 to David J. Thompson, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,377,973 and 5,584,485 to Daniel A. Jones et al., the disclosures of each of which patents are incorporated herein by reference.
According to a another preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method of playing a game by a plurality of players comprising the steps of:
(a) each player placing a wager to a game pool and, preferably at each player""s option, placing a wager to a progressive pool;
(b) assigning to each player a first plurality of designations (preferably numbers) from a set of designations (preferably numbers);
(c) randomly drawing a first plurality of designations from such set of designations;
(d) paying a prize from the progressive pool to each player whose assigned first plurality of designations match the first plurality of designations drawn in step (c) provided he or she had placed a wager to the progressive pool, and a further prize may be paid from the game pool to each player whose assigned first plurality of designations match the first plurality of designations drawn in step (c);
(e) if no player""s assigned first plurality of designations match the first plurality of designations drawn in step (c), continuing randomly drawing designations from such set of designations until a second plurality of designations fewer than all designations in such set are drawn; and
(f) paying a prize from the game pool to each player whose assigned first plurality of designations match designations drawn in steps (c) and (e).
The game may end at this point, and any amounts remaining in the game pool may be added to the game pool of the next game. Alternatively, however, the game may continue with the further steps of:
(g) if no player""s assigned first plurality of designations match designations drawn in steps (c) and (e), continuing randomly drawing designations from the set of designations until a player""s assigned first plurality of designations match designations drawn in steps (c), (e) and (g), or until all the designations in the set have been drawn, whichever occurs first; and
(h) if a player""s first plurality of designations match designations drawn in steps (c), (e) and (g), paying a prize to such player.
The prize referred to in step (h) may be from the game pool; if such prize has not been won, or if there are any amounts remaining in the game pool for any other reason, such remaining amounts may be carried over to the game pool of the next game for paying this prize, so that the prize eventually paid in step (h) will be progressively increased until won. In step (f), the amount of each prize is related to the quantity of designations drawn for matching a player""s assigned first plurality of designations.